Lifestyles

By now you've probably chosen the perfect necklace for your aunt and sweater for your sister. But if you do not love getting your hands in the soil, finding a gift for the avid gardener on the list might have you stumped. If you Google "gifts for gardeners," garden gnomes, gazing balls and overpriced bulb of the month offers appear. If these are not exactly your gardener's cup of tea, I offer the following suggestions.

In the fall when raking leaves and doing garden clean-up, it often is a challenge to find a container to haul the debris to the compost pile. One of the handiest solutions I've found is a utility spring bag or kangaroo bag. They are a little smaller than a garbage can, but will collapse to only a couple inches high for storage. A sturdy metal spring holds the sides up for easy filling. I'm partial to the kind that has a hard base, so that when I overfill it I can drag it across the ground or sidewalk without wearing a hole in the bottom.

If your gardener is just starting out, chances are they need good tools. Even seasoned gardeners love new tools. Look for good quality, heavy duty tools. For digging and planting a trowel or soil knife (also known as a hori hori) is a good bet. Make sure it is made from one continuous piece of metal, the better to stand up to our stiff clay soils. A red or bright colored handle is a plus, as it stands out amidst foliage when dropped.

In the market for a pair of pruners? Look for bypass pruners with a scissor-type action. Choose a brand that offers replacement parts. These will cost a bit more — probably in the $50 range — but will last a lifetime if cared for properly.

For the avid vegetable gardener on your list consider some heirloom vegetable seeds and a heat mat for getting them started. Once seeds are planted, they will germinate faster and more reliably if a bit of warmth is provided to the bottom of the container. A heat mat provides consistent, gentle heat for new seeds.

I would probably be called a plant collector by some. I don't have a mass of petunias in my garden; instead I like to try lots of different plants, and I like to know what I planted. Little plastic labels just don't hold up in the garden, so each year I stock up on some metal labels to help me keep track of what I planted and where I should look for it in the spring. Your gardener might like them, too.

And you can't go wrong with offering a little help with the hard jobs in the garden. Coupons for an hour or two of raking or helping with the mulch are always appreciated.

Happy shopping.

Colorado State University Extension in the City and County of Broomfield provides unbiased, research-based information about 4-H youth development, family and consumer issues, gardening, horticulture and natural resources. As part of a nationwide system, Extension brings the research and resources of the university to the community. The Broomfield County Extension office is at 1 Des Combes Drive, Broomfield, 80020. For information, call 720-887-2286.

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